US police arrests Indian 'Internet predator'

In possibly the first such case involving a Indian in the US, police in Pennsylvania have arrested a Indian engineer on charges of using Internet for soliciting young girls for sex.

In a statement, the Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett said Nityanand Gopalika, 30, in Washington on a work visa, allegedly used an Internet chat room to approach what he believed was a 13-year old girl from the Pittsburgh area.

The "girl" was actually an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit.

According to the criminal complaint filed by the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit, Gopalika engaged in a series of chats over several days questioning the girl about her sexual experience and describing the sex acts he wished to engage in.

Gopalika is also accused of sending the girl two web cam videos that showed him nude or masturbating in front of his computer.

Gopalika was arrested on July 1 when he arrived at a predetermined meeting location.

Following a search of his vehicle, agents seized two laptop computers, a digital camera, a cell phone allegedly containing a partially completed text message to the "child," directions to the meeting location and a bag of condoms.